Calan's Story

Playing to win

When Calan McIntosh was growing up in Central Queensland, there wasn’t much for a kid to do except play sports. So, that’s what he did - soccer, tennis, touch football, you name it! In fact, his first visit to Brisbane was for a regional footy competition, which he was shocked to discover would be played on perfectly manicured lawns instead of dead grass & dirt!

Flash forward 10 years, and Calan was living in Brisbane, nearing the end of his studies when he landed a gig as Marketing Assistant at Poolwerx. Partnered with the incredible mentorship of Poolwerx founder, John O’Brien, it wasn’t long before Calan learned the ropes. He still fondly remembers the first time he listened to John share his philosophy of treating business like sports.

“He gathered the whole office around a whiteboard where he’d drawn an AFL field with everyone’s names on it. You had your defensive people, your forwards, and everyone had their different roles to play to help the business. He always came back to the idea that one player can’t win it for the whole team. I could really relate to that, having played competitive sport my whole life.”

It’s been 15 years since Calan first heard those words, and although our business has grown exponentially, he still feels that the metaphor rings true today.

“It comes back to the pace of the work - it’s very much a sales-driven business, so we have to be fast and super reactive. Which means we achieve so much, so often. We hit our annual revenue target the other day; there was a round of high-fives, and then the next day we were

already working towards the next milestone. It’s pretty fulfilling to see how the business is always evolving.”

As Poolwerx has evolved over the years, so has Calan. After two years working in Marketing, he was promoted to Multi Site Operations Manager, a role that saw him move to Sydney to run one of our company stores. In this role, Calan essentially acted in the role of a franchise partner, which gave him a lot of insight into our franchise structure.

“Understanding how a franchise works is a key part of succeeding at Poolwerx. Even if you’re on the corporate side, everything you do is to support the franchisees in growing their business. I really loved that role because it taught me a lot about the business and implementing growth strategies, but I also felt really connected to creating backyard memories for our clients. I could see and feel the impact Poolwerx has on the ground, and I felt proud to have helped save a kid’s birthday party or give a family a nice clean pool to use.”

After nearly three years in the role, Calan sought a new challenge, so he decided to take a break from Poolwerx to explore a different franchise environment. He stayed in Sydney for another two years before he and his wife, Cherie, decided to move to London. In his time away, Poolwerx was a constant presence in Calan’s mind - and his email inbox!

“Even when I was in London, I was connected to Poolwerx. Being part of that network meant people would check in to see how I was doing - I got a few emails from John asking how I was finding London and if there were any opportunities or acquisitions over here for Poolwerx. I had to tell him it was only hot for three months of the year, so I didn’t think so,” Calan laughs.

Outstanding growth and opportunity 

When he returned to Australia, Calan reached out to John to see if there was an opportunity to come back to Poolwerx. Of course, the answer was yes! 

Since rejoining Poolwerx in 2016, Calan has continued to grow, progressing to his current role as Business Development Manager for Queensland - Brisbane North & Central Queensland in 2017. Calan’s typical work day sees him communicating with our franchisees to ensure their businesses are generating the greatest profitability possible. 

“It’s been great to build such strong relationships with the franchise partners, and Poolwerx has given us fantastic support to help maintain those relationships. We’re always being offered new training courses in things like franchising, finance and leadership. We also get a percentage of our salary allocated towards personal development of our choice.” 

Calan’s unstoppable drive also saw him take out the award for Business Development Manager of the Year at the annual Poolwerx convention in 2022, earning him a submission into 

Queensland’s Franchise Awards. 

“It’s definitely exciting to be recognised for the strategies I’ve implemented and the support I’ve provided to Poolwerx franchise partners. It’s helped generate great results for the business, too.” 

Poolwerx is only going to keep growing, and for Calan, who’s ambition isn’t slowing, it’s what keeps every day exciting. 

“There are so many opportunities out there for Poolwerx to grow internationally - who knows what our next acquisition will be? Whatever it is, it always provides plenty of internal growth. When we first started acquiring stores in the US, five or six of our key people went over to help start the business up, and they’re still there now. It’s just so exciting to think of the possibilities here.” 

Another thing Calan loves about Poolwerx is that it’s a family-owned business that’s also great for families. On every step of his journey at Poolwerx, his family have been along for the ride. 

“I met Cherie when I was working for Poolwerx in Sydney, and I’ve been with Poolwerx ever since we came back to Australia. So, she knows all the senior management through our social clubs, and she comes along to our ‘Welcome Back’ party every January. And now that we have Quinn, our one-year-old son, it’s been great that Poolwerx have supported us with the flexibility to spend time with him, too.” 

And as for Calan’s future at Poolwerx? It’s only just getting started. 

“I’m loyal to the brand 100%, and I want to keep going up the corporate ladder and helping our franchise partners create the lifestyle that they’re looking for. I think a lot of people leave without realising just how good they have it here. Yes, it’s fast, reactive, and I could get more money to work less hard elsewhere. But I’d probably just be a number on a spreadsheet. I wouldn’t be known as Calan and have those great interactions every day. And I wouldn’t get the pride of seeing my strategies implemented across Australia. That’s the most satisfying part for me.” 

Social Copy 

Are you looking for a job where you’re more than just a number? 

After starting his corporate career at Poolwerx, Calan McIntosh left us to travel the world, but he could never replicate the sense of belonging he’d found here. Since returning, he’s achieved so much and felt the immense satisfaction of being part of our team again. And for someone ambitious like Calan, the possibilities are endless. 

“There are so many opportunities out there for Poolwerx to grow internationally - who knows what our next acquisition will be? Whatever it is, it always provides plenty of internal growth. When we first started acquiring stores in the US, five or six of our key people went over to help start the business up, and they’re still there now. It’s just so exciting to think of the possibilities here.”